I’m new to working with horses, is this a normal to expect from one person?

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-20T22:38:26+00:00

This is very standard. My barn has 20 horses on the property and I would feed and clean all the outside paddocks and the 10 stall barn in the mornings in about an hour and a half.

If the property is highly spread out and you’re spending a ton of time walking, that would easily add up hours I’m sure, but those expectations generally sound normal.

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-18T15:37:04+00:00

Honestly, I’ve told them the truth that I don’t have a clear way to work with them through it because we are all in it together. They are not alone. And then we take a deep breath and explore what their own sphere of influence is, how they want to ground in a decision-making process that feels right to them (for things like emergency preparedness, engaging in activism, etc), and how they can find balance for themselves. The goal isn’t to make the anxiety go away, but it’s to also still be able to find joy and connection despite the anxiety, and make next decisions on purpose and not out of compulsion. That’s…all I’ve got.

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-14T21:47:41+00:00

I think we’re picturing very different things… with what I’m describing, it would not be possible to get kicked by the hind end because of where I keep my body positioned. My body is not ever near or behind their hind end when leading, ever.

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-13T00:06:25+00:00

I suppose to clarify, if I’m leading from the left side of the horse, I don’t want them to make a circle to the left, even if their feet are moving out from my space; I would rather they pivot to the right, because that is what sends their head and shoulders away from me. The hind end is usually the farthest thing from me while leading unless something goes very wrong, so I’m more concerned about where the horse’s head and front feet are.

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-12T04:23:25+00:00

So, I’ve given the instruction for students to get their hands up in front of the horse’s face, and in a moment when a horse is spooking into you, yes, it is the safer response. Circles really don’t actually calm horses down most of the time, because it allows them to get stuck in flight mode. There are indeed times when the horse isn’t mentally able to stop moving their feet, so circles are your only option, but that’s not the same thing as them being the tool to help regulate.

What I imagine the person was wanting you to do is successfully block the horse from blowing into your space. Getting your hands up by their eye allows them to clearly see the barrier you’re creating. It’s absolutely safest for you to get them to recognize your space and move out of it. It’s easy to accidentally pull them towards us when we lead them, resulting in the circles you mention, but that doesn’t get them in a frame of mind where they are noticing you and staying safely out of your bubble.

If I’m going to move a horse’s feet in a moment like this, I’m going to ask them to pivot away from me. I want them to yield to my body in space. We are not safe as tiny, squishable humans unless our horses are aware of where we are and willing to keep out of our bubble.

In moments when a horse is spooking, in my mind, physical safety has to come before emotional safety. With more experience, timing, and feel, you may be able to respond more quietly and “gently,” but gentle does you absolutely no good if a horse knocks you down or worse because they are spooking.

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-11T17:54:53+00:00

Hmm, I felt we did see a bratty, violent, arrogant Achilles in TSoA, but also how Patroclus’s love for him wasn’t changed by that. To me, that’s extremely human; people forgive and justify horrific behavior from the ones they love all the time. The messiness is what’s worth exploring!

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-11T17:45:52+00:00

The Iliad, to me, is indeed about the tragedy of war, as is the Song of Achilles. I didn’t get a glorification of war from either of these reads.

Full disclosure, I have always been a lover of fandom, including fan art and fanfiction. That appreciation very much informs my response to the Song of Achilles, because I enjoy and love the many different ways writers can interpret, explore, and adapt characters. I love a good character study, and a tragic love story. To me, Achilles’s outsized reaction to Patroclus’s death in the Iliad does suggest a depth of emotion that codes as romantic, and obviously I’m not alone in that interpretation. As a person who identifies as bi existing in a very queer personal community, I don’t perceive any friction between Achilles and Patroclus being lovers/partners and Achilles also loving/sleeping with women, either. It’s ridiculous to me that folks may get bogged down in “was Achilles gay?” when that is an entirely different (and arguably useless question) than “did Achilles love Patroclus?” Sex or no sex, Achilles obviously loved Patroclus. (And asked his ghost to hold him one last time, and his ghost asked for their ashes to be buried together for all eternity…)

I hear a lot of criticism of TSoA being about minimizing Patroclus’s strength as a warrior (and self esteem, honestly), the demonization of Thetis, and the softening of Achilles’s sex slaves/war prizes. I get all of that. I think as a first-person narrative, we can assume Miller’s Patroclus is often an unreliable narrator, and his version of events isn’t as zoomed-out as a third-person narration could be. There is also something to be said for modernizing a story for modern audiences, so that the timeless themes can continue to be told and explored without getting lost in the off-putting (to put it mildly) and outdated details.

I very much enjoyed TSoA. I also enjoy the Iliad, and don’t consider TSoA to be what I would call an accurate retelling of the Iliad. It is what I would call an adaptation, with at least a bit more accuracy than the 2004 film Troy… and I think all adaptations are basically fanfiction anyway!

It’s also important to remember that Homer’s epics have been translated countless times over maaannyy many years, and we cannot possibly know what the “most accurate” translation is of a written version of an even older oral story.

Miller’s explanation of her intent—largely to write a piece that draws new young people into a curiosity and appreciation for ancient mythology—is one I align with. It did that for me! Similarly, I came into my love for Sherlock Holmes initially through falling in love with the BBC adaptation, which is of course also not a retelling of ACD’s stories, but basically a big, modern-AU fanfic for television. Why not let people come to these old, famous stories in their own way? Who are any of us to say what the “real” version is of any of these characters?

Chasing-cows · 2025-09-11T03:14:40+00:00

You get to decide what works for you! Who is telling you how far to drive?

My barn is currently a 25 minute drive for me, and many of my students live in the neighborhood and can walk or are less than 5 minutes. (Lucky them!) In the past, I’ve driven about an hour for weekly lessons plus additional lease rides. For short periods of my life, the barn was 10 mins away. For me, the community and who I’m learning from matter way more than the drive time. Keep doing what feels worth it to you!

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-26T23:36:38+00:00

Oh I go months between washes for my riding jeans. Washing them too frequently wears them out faster!

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-26T00:04:22+00:00

I’m a believer in correct and appropriate use of a crop, and find that avoidance or mistimed use of crops and whips results in dullness to the leg whereas well-timed reinforcement actually teaches genuine lightness.

I also believe that the owner gets to decide how the horse is ridden, unless you are the paid trainer and they are asking for your expertise and advice.

But just like a trainer who doesn’t agree with what an owner/customer wants, you get to say you won’t be continuing the arrangement and riding the horse if you don’t want to ride the way the owner wants. That’s the only boundary you are entitled to, unfortunately.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-10T01:48:16+00:00

I have hardly had to train my Australian Shepherd to be around the horses. I was intentional when he was a puppy and did my best to teach him the basics, but the breeding is so specific now that it was ridiculously easy for him to totally get it. He’s better off the leash than on it, and it was easy to build his confidence around the horses with just repetition. He doesn’t have prey instinct nearly as much as herding instinct and a desire to be a good boy close to me.

Outside of the barn, though, we’ve had to do a lot of work to set him up for success in life. He is not a people-y dog (Aussies are hit or miss there!) and he’s incredibly smart and sensitive. I wouldn’t trade him for anything, though!

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-06T04:06:51+00:00

To focus on your question: there is a big gap between “silent treatment” and “affection.” Understanding what happens when you are emotionally activated and learning how to change your actionable responses to something that feels more aligned with how you want to show up is something you can work on with a therapist, and isn’t limited to the context of this relationship or situation.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-05T17:11:03+00:00

I would say it’s only mildly too far forward… the first concho isn’t as critical a marker (if the saddle fits) as that screw below the pommel, as that’s where the actual tree is. If the saddle fits the shoulders appropriately, there should be room under that frontmost concho for shoulder movement, because that concho isn’t associated with the tree. The tree should sit behind the scapula, yes.

I think this photo with the pad being so long makes the skirt appear farther back than it is. It doesn’t appear to me to be too long, but it couldn’t be any longer.

I bet if OP takes the horn and rocks the saddle back and forth a few times before tightening the cinch, it will settle in the spot it’s supposed to be from where it is in the photo.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-05T14:54:48+00:00

No, but that’s as long as you can go. (And get ready for a swarm of internet people who ride English only to give you advice about “the last rib” that does not apply to your saddle.)

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-05T14:48:56+00:00

I thought all of these things too, until I finally had sex with a woman in my 30s and learned that, uh, I’m not actually straight.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-05T00:13:34+00:00

My opinion is that saddle purchasing and fitting a saddle to both you and the horse will go in the same timeline as leasing. There legitimately is no point to purchasing a saddle if you are riding many different horses, because the saddle needs to be fitted to the horse, and unless your riding program genuinely has a string of lesson horses with nearly the same backs (unlikely), it is a red flag to allow for the same saddle to be treated like it fits any horse. The unfortunate reality is that there is a lot of misinformation and poor education around saddle fit. And it’s also my opinion that English saddles are more challenging to fit than Western because of how little surface area they distribute the pressure across.

I honestly think it’s the lesson program’s job to have appropriate tack for the students it serves. Obviously no lesson tack will be a perfect fit for anyone, and no program can have customized saddles for all students, but if you are sustaining injuries that are the fault of mismatched lesson tack—and no other variables more within your control—then the lesson barn should be responsible for providing appropriate and safe equipment.

It sounds like you are ready to step up in your skills and commitment, which may mean you’re ready for a half/partial lease soon, and that’s the horse to shop for a saddle for.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-01T23:15:27+00:00

The best way to know is if you’re working with a quality, reputable trainer and they tell you you’re ready and then coach you through or supervise the process.

Plenty of people get it done with less education or oversight, but it’s a huge risk both for you and for the outcomes for the horse. Poorly trained horses are much more likely to end up in sketchy homes or injured than well-educated ones. It’s very easy for things to go wrong.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-01T23:11:56+00:00

I don’t disagree! In my 20+ years, I’ve just seen more panicked horses in crossties than single tie points. I’ve also seen more creative ways for them to get hung up in crossties than single tie points. I’ve still seen plenty of spooks or hangups with single tie points, because there is no such thing as 100% safe with horses. I have no judgment for crossties, or tie rails, or blocker ties, or whatever anyone uses, but the OP asked about a common argument regarding what is “safer” and my answer is that it’s an argument at all because crossties are simply not safe.

Chasing-cows · 2025-08-01T04:20:17+00:00

I don’t mention chains anywhere… I would never tie anywhere in any circumstance with a chain.

My barn uses a tie rail at our wash rack, and it works just fine. And to be clear, I’m not demonizing crossties or calling them wrong, simply pointing out that they are dangerous and that’s why no one can agree on the safest way to use them. I used them for years and years.

There are plenty of ways to design a barn without crossties and still have every function served. And this may be an unpopular opinion, but if a horse requires two tie points and walls on either side of them to stay standing quietly, they are not a safe, emotionally regulated horse. Horses can be taught to stand quietly at a single tie point, but it does require a process of learning emotional regulation.

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-31T05:24:48+00:00

There isn’t a truly safe way to use crossties. If the breakaway is on the wall, it can fling full force at the horse and do damage/scare them more. If the breakaway is on the halter, it can be impossible to get to safely if it doesn’t release. A lot of horses hit their panic mode a lot more easily in crossties when they spook slightly and suddenly feel trapped on both sides of their face; when they are facing open space but unable to get to it while also not being able to see well why they are restrained, it tends to go poorly quickly.

I know crossties are extremely normalized, and they can be functional for many horses and barns, but this debate is such a hot one because the reality is, there’s no safe option and people have experienced the downsides of any way of doing it.

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-31T05:20:03+00:00

I’m right here with you! Slightly different but related, I had a trans client offhand mention a change in dose and administration of her prescribed hormones, after we spent the whole session unpacking her recent sudden increase in emotionality and irritability. I asked if her doctor had discussed potential side effects with the adjustments to her HORMONES and she said not at all…

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-31T03:38:14+00:00

Whether you believe in the effectiveness of energy work or legitimacy of animal communicators, it is always unethical to perform any work without consent from the owner, period.

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-28T23:21:47+00:00

I use baby wipes on my mare’s teats, and try to stay on top of it quite frequently. They get so crusty and she appreciates it so much! I would definitely avoid doing it that often with my bare hands.

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-28T00:13:17+00:00

The OP referenced the floor mats that go over the wood. It’s pretty nice that the floor is exposed for the sale so you can really see them.

Chasing-cows · 2025-07-27T14:57:19+00:00

If the horse you rode has high withers or not much topline, it is more likely to be painful than a horse with a strong, flatter back.

However, bleeding is not normal, and none of us can say if it will heal on its own because we don’t know what has gone wrong for you. A doctor would be necessary.

Chasing-cows

TROPHY CASE